Machine for centrifugal casting



Feb. 26, 1935.

A w. D. sARGENr Erm.. .1,992,241

MACHINE FOR CENTRIFUVGAL CASTING 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed' Aug. 6, 193i@wauw IZWHiAITORNEYS lfpe. 26, 1935. w D; SRGENT Er AL 1,992,241

MACHINE FOR CENTRIFUGAL CASTING Filed AHE- 6. 1.931 2 Sheets-Shed 2 blk*l 3f Z Z' l u A6.

/ l a o v -3 55 l Illiam ,Salgari @ad llliam 7. eislefg,

' marmi'v 110mm l Patented Feb. 2s, 192.5'

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,992,241 MACHINE FOB CENTRIFUGAL CASTINGWilliam D. Sargent, New York, N. Y., and Wil- The chines liam A.Geisler, Newark, N. J., assi gnors, by

mesne assignments, to Durafer (Ina), Dover, Del., a corporation ofDelaware Application August 6,1931, Serial No. 555,464 12 Claims. (Cl.22-85) present invention relates to molding maand methods of castingarticles centrifugally, and embodies, more specically, an improvedmolding machine wherein the centrifugal 5 molding operations are greatlysimplified to enable a tained, together with a maximum elciency ofmaximum rate of production to be maineach molding operation.

More particularly, the invention embodies an improved molding machineand method of casting, centrifugally, liners for brake drums, althoughthe invention is applicable to the manufacture of many articleswhereinthe properties of centrifugally cast metal are desired and thecharacter of the articles such as to adapt them to be castcentrifugally. Brake drum liners may either be formed with a slightdraft, of uniform It is contemplated, by the present invention, to

provide an improved molding machine for casting these linerscentrifugally at a rapid rate, the machine being of such character as toenable the mold to be quickly and easily stripped from the casting, thepouring and associated operations in connection with the casting ofliners being effected Mor a cent ported upon a horizontal plane andactuated in a correspondingly easy manner. e particularly, thehinvention is embodied in rifugal mold which is capable of beingsupmechanically by the operator.

An object of the invention, accordingly, is to provide an improved moldfor casting articles centriiugally, wherein the article may beeffectively removed from the mold.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mold of the abovecharacter wherein the mold may b latter which A further object of theinvention is to provide e eifectively stripped from the casting, thebeing readily removed from the table upon it is cast.

an improved mol ticles,"

for centrifugally casting arthe mold being formed by centrifugal cast- Afurther object of the invention is to provide a centrifugal mold whichis simple in construction, light in weight, and adapted to be readilyoperated manually to enable molding operations to be effected rapidlyand the castings removed from the mold vby stripping the lattertherefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method oi'casting articles centrifugally, wherein the casting 'is eiected in ahorizontal plane and the mold is stripped from l0 the casting, leavingthe casting resting upon the horizontal table.

Further objects of the invention, not specifically enumerated above,will be apparent in connection with the following description, in whichrefl5 erence is made to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in section, taken through the axis of a moldingmachine constructed in accordance with the present invention, asindicated byline l-lof Figure 2, and looking inthe direction of thearrows.

Figure 2`is a plan view of a molding machine constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l, showing 25 the modified form ofmold constructed in accordance with the present invention. u

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a mold foundation is illustrated at 10,and may be provided with a recess l1, in which an electric motor, orother suitable mold rotating means, 12 is provided.

The mold consists of a horizontal table 13, which is formed with aconcave upper surface 14 to form a pouring plate. This pouring platecauses the metal to climb upwardly and be directed into the mold to fillthe same almost instantaneously. The table is connected at 16 to themotor shaft 17, and is thus adapted to be driven directly from themotor. It will be seen that the foregoing construction affords a spacebetween the table and the motor, whereby ventilation of the latter maybe effected. This is important in view of the fact that, duringoperation of the machine, the table becomes heated and unless suitableprovision were made for cooling the motor, dangerous overheating thereofwould result.

In the form ofA machine shown in Figure 1, the mold is of such characteras to form a circum. ferential rib upon the outer surface of thearticle, such outer surface tapering'up to the base of the rib. In orderthat this article, after being molded,

'may be eii'ectively removed from the mold, the

is bolted to a mounting ring 20' by means of bolts 20', and theextremity thereof is suitably tapered to form the desired profile on theextremity of the article.

The upper section 19 is formed with a flange 21 and a recessed portion22, which is adapted to engage the upper surface of the lower portion 18to provide a fluid tight fit. A longitudinally disposed groove 23 isformed in the upper section, and a peripheral flange 24 is provided todefine the thickness of the article to be molded. Suitable handles 25may be provided to facilitate the removal of the upper section 19 of themold from the cooperating section, and keepers 26 are provided to securethe upper section inthe position shown in Figure 1. Springs 27 may beprovided to urge the keepers yieldingly into the position shown inFigure 1, and cam faces 28 may be formed on the keepers to enable theupper section 19 to be automatically latched in molding position uponthe positioning of the upper section upon the lower section 18.

In order that the upper section may be stripped effectively from thecasting, a plurality of axially movable lifter rods 29 are slidablyvmounted in bushings 18' formed on the lower section 18. Each rod 29 isconnected to a carrier 31 which is disposed below the table 13.

The carrier 31 and the rods 29 are elevated by means of a lever 32,which is provided with a forked extremity 33, having rollers 30 toengage the carrier 31 at a ,plurality of positions. The lever 32 ispivoted on the foundation 10 by means of a bracket 34, and spring 35normally urges the forked extremity 33 downward with the carrier 31. Atreadle 36 is mounted on the lever 32, and thus facilitates the manualoperation of the mold. Brackets 40 are carried on the motor and pivotarms 41l thereon intermediate the ends thereof. Rollers 42 and 43 arejournalled on the ends of the arms 41 to engage the rings 20 and 31,respectively. Ring 20 is formed with an outer rack 44 and ring 31isformed with an inner track 45, the respective rollers 42 and 43engaging these tracks to facilitate the operation of the machine. Thuswhen the annular member 31 is raised by operation of the treadle y36,the diametrically oppositely disposed levers 41 are rotated by reason ofthe engagement of rollers 43 with the web 45 of the annular member 31,and as a result thereof roller 42 on the other extremity of levers 41engage the web 44 of annular member 20 and cause the same to lower.

In the construction shown in Figure 3, a4 horizontaltable 50 receives amold 37 which is adapted to form an articlewith a uniform exteriorsurface. This mold 37 is elevated by means of lifters 38, which aresecured to a carrier 39, in a fashion similar to the correspondingelements in the construction shown in Figure 1. The means for elevatingthe mold may be similar to the corresponding means described inconnection with the construction shown in Figure 1, only so much of suchconstruction being utilized as is necessary to elevate the mold'. It hasbeen found that the serviceability of the'construction described aboveis materially improved by forming the mold by centrifugal castingoperations. The invention, therefore, further contemplates theconstruction of the mold sections, above referred to, by centrifugalcasting operations, the metal used 'therein being of a special heatresistant alloy to impart the desired characteristics to the mold. Forexample, nickel and chromium form a suitable the provision of acentrifugally cast mold materially improves the operation thereof.

To render the casting operations more emcient and effect a substantiallycontinuous operation with the machine, a heat balance is maintainedbetween the mold, pouring plate and casting. It

has been found that the foregoing results are obtained by providingsubstantially six times the volume of metal in the mold as that of thecasting, and where the sizeof the castings is substantially the same insurface area, this proportion of cross-sectional area between the moldand casting gives excellent results. This proportion must be greaterthan one but may vary, within limits, depending upon the apparatus andconditions attending different operations.

To determine the thickness of the casting, and hence the volume of metaltherein, the lip or fiange 24 is formed on the mold, the depth ofv thelip being a measure of the volume oi' the metal in the casting. 1 i

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theconstructions shown in' the accompanying drawings, it is not to belimited save `as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A machine for castingcentriflugally comprising a, horizontal table.means to rotate the table, a mold on the table, means carried by thetable to elevate the mold from the table, and stationary means toactuate the elevating means.

2. A machine for casting centrifugally comprising a horizontal table,means to rotate the table, a mold on the table, means carried by thetable to elevate the mold from the table, means on the table to securethe mold thereto, and stationary means to actuate the elevating means.

3. A machine for casting centrifugally com-- prising a horizontal table,means to rotate the table, a mold carried by the table, elevating meansfor said mold extending below the table, means to secure the mold to thetable, and stationary means for engaging said elevating means to elevatesaid mold.

4. A machine for casting centrifugally comprising a rotatable pouringplate, a plurality o f mold sections associated therewith, means toelevate one of the sections from the plate, and means to depress anotherof the sections below the plate. v

5. A machine for casting centrifugally comprising a rotatable pouringplate, a plurality of mold sections associated therewith, means tosimultaneously elevate one of the sections from the plate and to depressanother of the sections below the plate.

6. A machine for casting'centrifugally comprising a rotatable pouringplate, a plurality of mold sections associated therewith, means toelevate one of the sections from the plate, and means actuated by thelast named means to depress another ofvthe sections below the plate.

'7. A machine `for casting centrifugally comprising a rotatable` pouringplate, a plurality of the plate and form a substantially fluid tightmold sections coaxial with the plateand rotatable therewith, means tomove the sections ax- Iing an inwardly flaring lip to engage the lip onthe plate and form a substantially iuid tight joint therewith, an uppermold section4 seated on the lower section, cooperating surfaces betweenthe sections to form a substantially uid tight joint therebetween, meansto elevate the upper section, and means to depress the lower section;

9. A machine for casting centrifugally comprising arotatable pouringplate, an outwardly flaring lip on the plate, a lower mold sectionhaving an inwardly flaring lip to engage the lip on the plate and form asubstantially fluid'tight joint therewith, an upper mold section seatedon the lower section, cooperating surfaces between the sections to forma substantially uid tight joint therebetween, means to elevate theupper. section, means to depress the lower sectionand means toactuatethe last named. means. 4

10. A machine for casting centrifugally comprising a rotatable pouringplate, 'an outwardly ilaring lip on the plate, a lower mold sectionhaving an inwardly aring lip to engage the lip on joint therewith, anupper mold section seated on the lower section, cooperating surfacesbetween the sections to form a substantially fluid tight jointtherebetween,` means to move the upper section, means to move the lowersection, means between the last named means to cause axial movements ofthe4 last named means in opposite directions, and means to actuate themoving means.

. 11. A machine for casting centrifugally about a vertical axiscomprisinga lower horizontal mold member, an upper horizontal moldmember engageable therewith, bushings spaced around the outer edge ofsaid lower mold member, vertical extending rods slidably-arranged insaid bushingand flxed to a radial ange on the lower edge of the uppermold member, an annular horizontalllanged ring secured to the lower endsof said rods and stationary means having rollers engaging said flangedring adapted to lift said upper mold member.

` 12. A machine for casting centrifugally about a vertical axiscomprising a lower'horizontal mold member, an upper horizontal moldmember engageable therewith,.bushings spaced around the outer edge ofsaid lower mold member, vertical extending rods slidably arranged insaid bushing 'and fixed to a radial flange on the lower `edge of theupper mold member, an annular horizontal flanged ring secured tothelower ends of said rods, stationary means having rollers engaging saidlflanged ring adapted to lift said upper mold member, and spring pressedlatches ,pivotally secured to said llower member and

